Coop or crate.



0. J. LA BAUVE.

COOP OR CRATE.

APPLIoATIoN FILED AUG.17. 1909.

957,069. Patented May 3, 1910.

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0. J. LA BAUVE.

COOP 0R CRATE.

APPLICATION FILED Amm?, 1909.

Patented May 3, 1910.

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UNITED STATES PATENT oEETCE.

oiJELoN l:L LA BAUvE, or mmf, TEXAS.

COOP 0R CRATE.

Specication of Letters Patent.

.Patented May 3, 1910.

Application led August 17, 1909. Serial No. 513,297.

This invention re ates to coops or crates for transporting or shipping oultry or small stock and particularly to'tiiat class of devices which have a downwardly folding association without requiring an inloldnP of side or end members prior to a full co f lapse as in well known coop or crate constructions. The improved coop or crate may be readily erected 1n o erative position by simply drawinof upwar ly on the top portion thereof and secured to prevent the parts from accidentally collapsing.

The primary object of the invention is .to provide a coop or crate of a comparatively simple construction and arrangement and reducible to compact form when empty 4for return shi ment and also embodying other features o? more fully hereinafter specified.

In the drawing: Figure .1 is a side elevation of a coop or crate shown erected in operative position and embodyin the features of the invention. Fig. 2 is a etail perspective view of a portion of the coop or crate articularly illustrating the manner of lockmg the parts thereof when erected against accidental collapsing movement. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section through the part of the crate as shown by Fig. 2 and particularly illustrating one of the spring locking bolts or latches. Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the coop or crate. Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical section through the complete coop or crate in collapsed condition. I

The numeral 5 designates a bottom which is preferably of circular form afd constructed of wood or any 'other suitable material. Secured at intervals on the up er surface of the bottom 5 are brackets 6 aving upwardly projecting eyes or ears 7 at their outer en s in which a frame ring 8 of wire of suitable agev is mounted and adapted to have the si e members of the coop or crate movably associated therewith. The coop or crate is also provided with an open top 9 comprising a rin 10 and a central ate frame 11, radial tie members 12 exten ng from the gate frame to the ring 10 and reconvenience and which will be` inforcin and closin members 13 terminally connecte tothe ra lal members 12 between the gate frame 11 and ring 10. All of the 'parts 10, 11, 12 and 13 are also constructed of wire of suitable gage, and withil the frame 11 a-hinged gate 14 is mounte and provided with a suitable catch 15, the said gate serving to give access to the interior of` the coop or crate. It is obvious that the relnforcing and closing members 13 may be increased 1n number, or instead of one series continuing around the top. 9 as shown, another series may be used, which would be :rn-obvious addition if it was desired to decrease the dimensions of the meshes of the said top 9. The frame 11 and gate 14 are also shown as being of rectangular form, but this contour is not essential as the said frame and gate could be of other shape. The top 9 is attached to an outer frame ring 16 inrwhich it is dis osed by clips y17 arranged at intervals, -t e frame ring 16-being of the same diameter as the ring 8 below and servin as the upper means for association with t e side members of the coop rings 8 and 16 is composed of a plurality of movably associated members 17, each comprising wire loops 1-8 and 19, the loops 18 having eyes 20 at their extremities loosely engaglng the frame ring 8, and the loop 19 having similar eyes 21 loosely enga ing the frame ring 16. The loops 18 an 19 diverge toward their respective rings 8 and 16 and the reduced inner closed extremity of 4the loop 18 is formed with a straiwht bearing tongue 22 and the inner rediced ex:

4tremit of the loop 19 is suitably bent as at 23 to orm a Lhinge connection, with relation to the inner extremity of the loop 18 and also formed witha transverse bearing bar 24, the tongue 22 being inside of the bar 24 and bearin against the latter when the side members 1 are distended or the coop or crate erected in operative position. At intervals a portion of the tongues 22 are terminally .bent outwardly in a horizontal lane to form sockets 25 to receive securin evces, which will be presently ex laine the sockets -25' extending outwardly far enough beyond'the adjacent bearin bars 24 to permit the securing or lookin evices to engage the said bars and hold t e members 17 as thus constructed in immovable position lio . and sustain all ofthe side members'in erect Vposition and prevent the coop or crate from accidentally'collapsini.

Various means mig t be used for locking a portion of the side members or for engaging the sockets to sustain all the side v members in positive erectedl position, but a' very simple .and practical form of locking means has been found to consist of a spring pawl or latch 26 slidably mounted in an` outwardly struck housing or casing 27 at the center of a plate 28 terminally secured v. to, the loop 19 above the outwardly bent socket 25 o the said loop. The bolt or latch 26 is engaged by a spring 29 which normally holds thesaid bolt in downwardly projected position, the spring 29 being incloscd within the housing or casing 27 and surrounding a reduced portion or stem 30 of the bolt, as

.clearly shown by Figs. 3 and 5: T hc upper vals to engage eyes 33 secured in the edge of the bottom 5 to hold the parts of the coop orcrate in gollapsed condition, and it will be understood that as many of these'hooks and eyes may e used as found necessary and in accordano with the dimensions of the coop or'crate. y

From the foregoing it will be understood that it is preferred to make all the parts of the coop or` crate of wire and all of the side members comprising the loops 18 and 19 are of similar construction except the loops lcarrying the locking'means and having thel tongues 22 bent outwardly to provide sockets 25 for the reception of the locking means.

When itis desired-to collapse the coop or .crate the sliding bolts or latches 26 are released from their sockets 25 and the side members carrying the locking means are slightly bent inwardly to throw the said sockets 25 out of' alinement with respect to the bolts or latches. All of the 4side members including'the loops 18 and 19 may then be folded inwardly by pressing downwardly on the top of the coop or crate, 'outward movement or irregular collapse of the side mem'- `bers being prevented by the formation of the tongues 22 and. ard bars 24. After the coop or crate yhas een fully collapsed as shown b Fig. 5, theparts may\be secured in this con ition by means of the hooks 32 and eyes 33 for convenience in return shipment. When it is desired to erect the coop or crate from collapsed condition the hooks 32 are released and the top 9 is Adrawn upwardly While the bottom or base 5 is held fixed and the locking bolts or latches 26 are causedQtov engage their sockets. 25, as shown by Fig. 2,

an thus hold thel entire coop or crate Ystrucvnumber of the members of the latter.

3. In a coop or crate, a bottom, frame deturein rigid conditioner against accidental .'collapse. The gate 14 may then be readily means and primarily the loops 18 will all be of the same contour and thus adapted to cooperate with the locking means by changing the angles of the tongues- 22 of a portion of the loops to form the sockets 25 in the' vmanner hereinbeforeexplained. In other words, the tongues 2.2 where necessary may be bent outwardlyand shaped to receive the locking means, -with advantages in Furthermore, a etween the two ring frames 8 and 16 may\be increased or decreased, as desired, and the said ring. frames may be spaced a artv varying distances in crates or coops ofp different proportions and dimensions. The Wire that is used will be `preferably of anon-corrosive nature and will be'varied as to its gage in' accordance with the dimensions of the coop or crate.

What is claimed is:

1. In a coop or crate, the combination of a bottom, a frame ring, held over the bottom, an upper frame ring above the former rin a top supported Within the upper ring, an inwardly folding connecting members between the rings and movably attached to the latter, the connectin members between the rings being associata? by means of hinge joints and some of the'connecting members at a distance from the joints being provided with locking means projectable into portions joints in planes at right angles to the latter. l

2. In a coop or crate, a bottom, a frame ring held over the bottom, an upper. frame ring having a top disposed therein, and intermediately jointed connecting members' interposed between and movably attached to the rings, some of the connectin members being provided with projectab e locking means to extend over and'engage a portion of the joints in planes at right angles to the vices mountedjover the bottom# connecting members interposed between and loosely associated with the frame devices and provided with intermediate hinge joints, a pormembers, and locking means carried by some of the connecting members at a distance 'from the joints thereof and projectable into enga ement with the said projecting mem- -bers 1n planes at right angles to the latter.

4. In a coop or crate, a bottom, frame devices mounted over the bottom, connecting members interposed. between andV loosely associated with the frame devices, each of tion of the hinge joints having projectlng f 1 bszo the connecting members having anintermediate joint and the parts thereof res ectively` provided with a bearing tongue an a bearing bar on which the tongue is adapted toV bear to obstructoutward movement of the connecting members beyond a predetermined extent, and locking means carried by some of the connecting members and projectable across the joints of the latter for sustaining the unfolded condition of the remaining members and the frame' devices, the locking means operating in planes at right angles to the joints.

5. In a coop or crate, `a bottom, a frame ring held over the, bottom, an upper frame ring, a top supported within the latterand rovided with a gate, and intermediately jointed connecting members interposed between and movably associated with the rings, some of the connecting members being provided with s ring-actuated means projectable into the a jacent joints to prevent movement of the latter and of the remaining members.

6. In a coo or crate, a bottom, frame de-` vices mounte over the bottom, connecting members interposed between and loosely associated with the frame devices, the connecting members each comprising two loops 'intermediately jointed and one having a tongue and the other a bearing bar against which the tongue enga es when the loops are unfolded, a part og the tongues being bent outwardly to forml sockets, and movable locking means supported by the upper loops of some of the connecting members to envage the sockets of the said members and hoId the latter in immovable position to sustain the crate organization in unfolded condition.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set j my hand in presence of two subscribmg witnesses.

ODELON J. LA BAUVE.

Witnesses: I

M'. S. Proxima, L. F. WELLS. 

